Many Hindus invoke Ganesha, the god who can overcome any obstacle, before beginning any undertaking.

Unlike most other religions, Hinduism has no founder and no single set of beliefs. Because Hinduism is as much a way of life as a set of religious teachings, a Hindu is free to worship only a single god, many gods, or no gods at all.

Some Hindus worship many-armed gods in sculpture-filled temples, and many believe that slaughtering cows is a kind of murder. But Hinduism, the religion followed by over 80 percent of the population in South Asia, is a complex system of beliefs and practices that deals with much more than gods and temples. Animal sacrifice and magical rites combine with mysticism, asceticism, and philosophy to form the Hindu religion. To Hindus, religion includes everything from one's outlook on life and worship to one's daily life and social status.

What does bind Hinduism together, then?

Core Beliefs

Fireworks light up the sky during Diwali, the festival marking the start of the new year.

For example, a murderer collects bad karma. If enough bad karma is accumulated, and the soul might come back in its next life as a demon, a tiger, or even a worm. A poor person who lives a very good life might be reborn as a rich person or even a god.

By leading a good life and accumulating enough good karma, the individual soul may eventually escape from the cycle of rebirth and achieve union with BRAHMAN, the Universal Soul.

Individual souls are not the only things that experience cycles of death and rebirth. The god BRAHMA creates the universe. The god VISHNU sustains it while it lasts, occasionally coming to Earth in incarnations called avatars in order to intervene directly when trouble arises.

But after a period of silence, Brahma will come forth again to create the world anew. This cycle, lasting millions of years, will be repeated forever.

Sacred Stories and Writings

The ancient Hindu epic called the Mahabharata describes the timeless war between good and evil.

In the BHAGAVAD GITA, a chapter of the Mahabharata, the god Krishna explains several paths by which the soul can eventually achieve release from the cycle of reincarnation and join with Brahman.

Gods and Goddesses

The vast pantheon also includes Agni, the fire god; SURYA, the sun god; LAKSHMI, the goddess of wealth and fortune; and SARASWATI, the goddess of knowledge and learning. Many Hindus believe that the different gods are really manifestations of Brahman, and they worship Brahman directly.

A Way of Life

Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth. In pictures, she is portrayed in many different colors (dark, pink, golden, yellow, or white). Here, the golden color signifies wealth.

A good Hindu obeys his or her family priest, performs daily religious rituals, and respects the gods. Most important, though, is living according to one's caste obligations and doing good deeds.

Many-armed gods still decorate temples, and Hindu homes sport statues of elephant-headed Ganesha. But Hinduism has also adopted new ideas. Some Hindus believe that Jesus Christ was an avatar of Vishnu, for example. Hinduism has spread beyond South Asia, too. Today, many Americans — some who don't even have South Asian ancestry — study Hindu texts or worship Krishna. The world's oldest religion is rich with tradition, but it is also continually changing and growing.

Descriptions of Hindu deities Instructions: Match the elements on the left with the elements on the right. Click on the target next to an element in the left column, then drag a line to its counterpart in the right column. Correctly matched elements will turn green in color, and the line between them will stick. If the elements don't match, the line will disappear and you'll have to try again! Click Here!